From Beatitudes to Attitudes: Part 2

Acknowledgement of Sin

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” ~ Matthew 5:4 (NRSVACE)

Question: “What condition is our heart in if it is one that morns?”

The definition of the term ‘mourn’ means: ‘to feel or express grief or sorrow’ ~ “Mourn.” Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 8 Oct. 2017.

We mourn for those in our families who have died, we mourn for those who suffer great loss, and we mourn for our own emptiness in times of great turbulence. But to mourn as Jesus describes it in the second blessing in the Beatitudes is to truly be remorseful over sin as we recognize its deep impact on our lives as individuals, the stain and weight it has upon our hearts, and our inability to erase this sin on our own. To recognize our sin is but the first step in mourning for we also need to take responsibility; take ownership for that sin as well.

In truth, I tell you, my brothers and sisters, when we are in such communion with our creator that we are in agreeance over our own mortal sin it is a blessing from God worthy of great reward. It is an even greater blessing when we take responsibility for our sin and fall on our face before God in the deepest of sorrow. It should be an emotional response and therefore, a means test of our sincerity.

The Process of Mourning

18 “The Lord is near to the broken-hearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” ~ Psalm 34:18 (NRSVACE) 

In fact, where sin is concerned we as a race of sinners undergo definitive steps before we can ever get to the deepest level that of mourning as described by Christ.

  1. Guilt – Sin makes us guilty before God, as such we can never obtain true forgiveness without the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. But in a deeper sense of the word, ‘guilt’, we feel the weight of this sin in our hearts, bearing the stain of it upon our immortal soul. In this way, we have been found guilty and full of blame separated forever from God branded forever as a sinner.  The recognition of this state of being allows us to emotionally grapple with our sinful nature.
  2. Sorrow – When we recognize our sin and the damage it has done in our life can we then feel the sorrow over our sin; broken before God and in God’s eyes ready to be molded and shaped through this emotional response of sorrow.
  3. Remorse – Taking ownership of our sin and the damage it has done in our lives can we begin to feel remorse, falling deeper into the limous test of emotional and spiritual atonement.
  4. Mourning – In this level of emotional and spiritual unity can our hearts now meaningfully cry out to God in true repentance of the sin which our human nature clings so readily to. It is here in this state of being can we come before God and truly confess our sins and for the first time in this process acknowledge Jesus as our savior, but more importantly willing confess our need for a savior.

Question: “Can there be true forgiveness without there first being a true sense of mourning?”

Consequence to Receiving a Blessing

28 “Just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” ~ Matthew 20:28 (NRSVACE)

In many ways, our sin which is part of our earthly condition forces us into a never-ending cycle of contrition. We who are born in sin can never truly walk away from it and become sinless, hence the need for salvation, the need for a savor, and the need for forgiveness. Therefore, I tell you, my brothers and sisters, that it is not enough to understand where we stand within sin as a sinner but to also comprehend the love it took to pardon all of us sinners from Jesus’s death on the cross to this very day. For it is Jesus who took on our sin so we might have hope for salvation and sit at the table with God everlasting. Each and every blessing found in the Beatitudes cost God His son’s life, the consequence far exceeds any amount we as sinful humans could ever pay on our own or together. In fact, every person on Earth could stack their wealth up in a huge pile and offer it to God and it would still pale in comparison to the cost of one sin, let alone the thousands each one of us does in the span of our lifetime. Therefore, it is a priceless blessing that God bestows upon those of us Christians who understand this dynamic and are obedient in the taking on of our sin; the understanding of the necessity of giving that sin to God on an hourly, daily, weekly, and even a yearly basis; never ceasing to understand how much God loves us and how much we need His divine love and forgiveness. The consequence for Jesus was to die and the consequence of his death for us was life everlasting so that we could be comforted while we live here on this earth.

Question: “In what way has this gift of being blessed impacted you the most?”

“For they will be comforted.”

It is truly a blessing I tell you, my brothers and sisters, when we are in such communion with God that we are in agreeance over our own mortal sin. It is truly a blessing when we take responsibility for our sin and fall on our face before God in deep sorrow confessing that sin to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  The blessing of comfort can be found in all areas of our lives, from the hard decisions we face not knowing which way to go, or which path to take, to the last act we do before passing away. Comfort is found in a life well lived, in the knowledge your sins have been commuted and the Gates of Heaven have been opened to you, to even feeling Jesus’s hand in yours as he brings you into Him. Comfort is found in the understanding that our salvation extends to the healing of this despicable condition our hearts are in. Comfort is found within the relief of this never-ending cycle of sin which is our reality here on this earth. The human condition can never be understated but so too can the blessing of God never be lacking in its ability to free us from that condition.

The Relational God

26 But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.’ ~ Matthew 19:26 (NRSVACE)

In my life when I am given a choice and I know that no matter what I do it will be a sin, thus being boxed into sin, I have always chosen to pray to God for His divine strength and understanding, I have asked Him to give me the knowledge and strength to do His will. I write this because we have a God who cares, a God who loves, and God who is relational. Our Lord so wants to be apart of everything we experience in our lives, to teach us His divine ways, to mold us into better human beings. God so wants to take on your worries, your problems, your roadblocks, and your sin. Because our God is relational He can relate to you in a way no one else here on earth can. God is forever, the master of the universe, and your personal savior. In God, there is nothing you cannot do or accomplish.

Amen!!! Alleluiah!

Primary Goal: To Alway Image Christ in Mind, Heart, Body, and Soul.

Ways to Communicate

As always, I humbly invite you to stay connected by sending me a message at listeningfaithfullyblog@gmail.com, or by visiting Listening Faithfully Facebook page.

Don’t forget to become part of this awesome community by signing up at Listening Faithfully Community Page. In addition, I have started a new page where you can also visit me at fb.me/listeninfaith and send me messages at m.me/listeninfaith.

Finally, another means of direct communication os by sending me a tweet on Twitter at Brian Keith@Listeninfaith, or become a part of our spiritual group: Friends who Like Listening Faithfully…. “Let’s grow together as children of God” 

Sancte Ioseph – ‘ora pro nobis,’

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Anything and Everything is Possible in Christ

LOOK AT WHAT IS POSSIBLE WITH GOD

26 “But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.’” ~ Matthew 19:26 (NRSVACE)

Imagine if you will a moment at which the world for you comes to a crashing halt! Something horrible just happened and in that singular moment, it looks as if everything has been lost! My brothers and sisters in Christ I tell you your world is not lost, no matter what had happened because God loves you in every second of the day, in every moment you live, and in every way you could possibly imagine and not imagine. Need I remind you that there is nothing that could have happened that hasn’t already happened to Jesus, he has seen it all and been through it all and He did so for you and me and all of Gods children. Do not fall into despair, disarray, or needless self-pity for you will be given the strength and the wisdom to move forward regardless of the event that was life changing.

On the other side of the coin, think of a moment where you lost your job, then out of nowhere a person whom you had contacted a while back but had turned you down is now in need of your services. That my brothers and sisters is God calling. How about you meet a person by chance and they begin talking with you only because you said hello and the conversation spills over into a job offer. Hello! That too is God calling! I tell you the truth my brothers and sisters both things have happened to me recently and I am constantly amazed how God is silently working in the background like an awesome software making good on His divine promises. God has never let me down nor left me alone in moments of need, God has always been there for me.  Another perfect real-life experience that happened recently to me was my ex-principal pulled me into the office and said to me that I have one day to secure 17 students for my yearly summer technology class or else she was going to shut it down. I turned to God and asked him to give me the sincerity and wisdom to make this happen for our children. I felt God in that moment and I was given the strength and words to make good on all my promises to my students. So I picked up the phone and talked with countless parents, asked them to call others I did not have phone numbers for. I worked the phones like no bodies business and in the end, God pulled together 21 students. I also was blessed to be given a large donation so the cost could be less of a burden for the parents. God provided as He had promised he would. Ironically, one set of students, (brother and sister) I had asked the parents countless times to send their two children to my class but was rejected over and over because they didn’t have the money to came but somehow, some way God provided for them too because they showed up in the second week and they also received scholarships for the class.  So my brothers and sisters, look at what is possible with God!

Think of it this way, God will move mountains, change the course of mighty rivers, and even bring the hardest heart to bow before Him. God is the armor we all should be wearing, God’s love is what we all need to be in the streets celebrating, God’s might is what we all should respect openly and faithfully every single day. Our God is truly great and anything and everything is possible through His son, our savior Jesus Christ. In terms of money of which most people today are struggling with in these economically challenging times, I tell you the truth my brothers and sisters God provides what you need when you need it! God gives the financial support when you open your heart and mind to the possibility that He is with you and wants to help you. I always am so amazed at the fact that the creator of everything loves us so much that He is willing to be with you, guide you, build you up and support you if not carry you to the finish line if need be. How awesome is that? Money is only a tool printed on green paper that allows us to acquire what we need and to live our lives in our human based society. But God does not follow this standard for His Kingdom is greater and more powerful than anything we humans could devise so why do so many struggles with asking God for help? I tell you the truth my brothers and sisters my life is God centered and I go where he tells me to go, (by the way my life is very mobile), and I do what he tells me to do without question! God is truly with me in everything, in every moment, and in every task that He has given to me to accomplish.

FAITH IN ACTION

11 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” ~ Hebrews 11:1 (NRSVACE)

I hope for many things in my life to come true, slowly little by little I see some of those things coming into sharper focus. Many of these things I hope for are on the precipice of becoming reality.  God does not fool around… No he is working hard! Here is an example: Many of you know that I started this blog in 2009 at the height of my struggles with my ex-wife who constantly took me to court to gain sole custody of our only child. She did everything she could and wasted so much money and precious time, forced me to waste so much money and precious time and in the end, she got what she wanted sole custody but it came at a price. What was the price?  Our relationship with our daughter, the direction of her life was redirected into the hell of court when she should have been playing and being a child… FORGET THE MONEY! But as my relationship with my daughter suffered into extinction and she was moved from Los Angeles to San Fransico in 2012 based on a promise my ex-wife had no intention of keeping I lost contact with my daughter and I was emotionally devastated.  See it was for my daughter I left my family in Missouri, it was for her I altered my life so I could be in her life and be a real father; tangible and present! I did not want to raise my daughter in a broken or fractured home, but that is what my ex-wife made happen – what she did and how she did it was needless and pointless! Again, forget the money! But as terrible as that was, as emotionally devastating as that was, and as horrified and upsetting as that was; God had greater ambitions for me that He had laid the seeds for years earlier. I had been a teacher, becoming a better father and human being, I was being molded in such a way so not only could I survive this horrific event, but I could give my daughter the wisdom to survive this horrific event all of which was unseen by my shattered heart. What I hoped for the most was to see my daughter again, reconnect, start from scratch, and give her the peace in her heart that I am still here for her no matter what happens, just like our Heavenly Father. I am proud to report I have reconnected, though I have not still seen her in person, we do communicate and it is the laying of those foundations that will blossom into a beautiful relationship, one stronger than the last, one better than before because it was God made – God supported – God tested!

On that note, I give a huge shout out to all the men and women around the world who suffered and is still suffering from Alienation of Affection by their ex’s and which this horrible suffering ends within our court systems. I hope I live long enough to see this come to fruition.

2351 MIRACLES OF JESUS

32 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. 34 It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. 35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— 36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” Mark 13: 32-37 (NKJV) 

The Lord is a miracle worker, He is a forgiver of sins, He alone can lift you up in your darkest hour! Look at what God can do!

2351 Supernatural acts of Jesus Christ, revealing and confirming his Messianic credentials, and the coming of God’s kingdom. The miracles of Christ are to be seen as an integral part of his ministry.

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Amen!!! Alleluiah!

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Ways to Communicate

As always, I humbly invite you to stay connected by sending me a message at listeningfaithfullyblog@gmail.com, or by visiting Listening Faithfully Facebook page.

Don’t forget to become part of this awesome community by signing up at Listening Faithfully Community Page. In addition, I have started a new page where you can also visit me at fb.me/listeninfaith and send me messages at m.me/listeninfaith.

Finally, another means of direct communication os by sending me a tweet on Twitter at Brian Keith@Listeninfaith, or become a part of our spiritual group: Friends who Like Listening Faithfully…. “Let’s grow together as children of God” 

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